PATNA: In a twist in the high-profile sex scandal in Bihar, the accused, the jailed son of a retired IAS officer, and the victim, daughter of a former minister, are set to tie the knot soon.
The development comes five months after the sensational case surfaced when the girl, the daughter of a Dalit Congress leader, lodged a case at the SC-ST police station in Patna accusing Nikhil Priyadarshi, a prominent automobile dealer, of sexual exploitation.
The allegations had sent ripples across Bihar’s political circles since the girl, a minor at the time of the FIR in December last, accused some of Priyadarshi’s political friends of running a sex trade.
Priyadarshi, who is in jail since he was arrested along with his father in Uttarakhand on March 14, and the girl have reportedly informed the SC-ST court of their desire to marry. Sources said Priyadarshi first offered the marriage proposal to the girl and that she accepted it. “The couple jointly filed a compromise petition in the special court of judge Akhilanand Dubey, who is hearing the case, on Thursday. They are serious about their decision to tie the knot and begin a family,” said a relative of Priyadarshi.
The petition was filed on a day when the court issued an arrest warrant against former State Congress vice president Brajesh Pandey, whose name had figured in the allegations made by the girl. Pandey had to resign from his post in the party, which is a constituent of Bihar’s ruling alliance led by CM Nitish Kumar. All eyes are now on the court and the legal provisions in matters of rape, which remains a non-compoundable offence.
In her statement recorded under Section 164 of the CrPC, the girl had said she was raped repeatedly by Priyadarshi and some of his friends. "It is unlikely that the compromise petition would have any effect on this case filed under the POCSO Act, SC-ST Act and several sections of the IPC because the victim was a minor when the crime was perpetrated," said S S Santosh, public prosecutor.